Basket of Goodies
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: A change of clothes and a pumpkin help to bring delight to Jedediah and Octavius on Halloween night.  Slash.


Title: "Basket of Goodies"  
>Author: Pirate Turner<br>Dedicated To: This is the twelfth story in my annual 13 days of Halloween series dededicated with endless love to my wonderful, beloved Jack and our darling children.  
>Rating: R<br>Summary: A change of clothes and a pumpkin help to bring delight to Jedediah and Octavius on Halloween night.  
>Warnings: Slash, Established Pairing<br>Word Count: 2,963  
>Date Written: 22 October, 2011<br>Disclaimer: Jedediah, Octavius, all other recognizable characters mentioned within, Milky Way, and Night at the Museum are ﾩ & TM their rightful owners, all not the author. Everything else is ﾩ & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

"Mmm! Mmm! This is incredible!" Octavius cried in delight, hungrily nibbling each oozing inch of the chocolate treat he and Jedediah had just struggled together to peel open. His sword was still thrust into the candy bar's wrapper, and Jed was too busy eating to answer him at first.

Finally the blonde paused in between mouth fulls of chocolate and caramel to agree, "This is the best one yet!" He then yelled up toward the mouth of their chamber, "WHOOPY! HEY, PARD, WHAT'S THIS ONE CALLED?"

The young Gigantor who carried them this wonderful night peered down into their carrier. He squinted down at them in the dark but couldn't find the answer they sought. He could see the wrapper but couldn't read it quite yet. The two tiny men dashed to the side of the pumpkin as he put his fingers inside his jack o'lantern. He grabbed both a piece of candy for himself and the wrapper in question. "That," he informed them, looking at the wrapper before he wadded it up and threw it into his pocket, "is a Milky Way."

"A Milky Way?" Jed asked in surprise. "I've heard that term before." He shook his shaggy, blonde hair as his blue eyes gazed back at the remains of the candy bar in confusion. "But I didn't think it was food."

Octavius pushed the hat he wore this night away from his head and looked up at the young Gigantor. "I, too, recall that terminology. This is a piece of your Milky Way that stretches through the stars?"

Nicky giggled. "No! No, guys! It's just a name." He shrugged his small shoulders. "I guess they called it that to make people think that it would taste as wonderful as they could imagine the Milky Way tasting, you know."

"I do not know." Octavius shook his head in confusion. "How does one devour a star?"

Nicky giggled again. "You don't!" he cried through the tears sparking in his eyes. "You can't eat the real Milky Way! They just named it after it! It's not the real thing!" He was starting to draw looks from the other trick or treaters dashing all around them, and he paused and looked shamefully around as some of the other kids started laughing.

"He's talking to himself!"

"No, he's not!" A girl laughed. "He's got an imaginary friend in his pumpkin!"

"What kind of a costume is that any way?"

"He said it was a museum night guard."

"Who wants to guard a museum?"

"Beats me!"

Nicky shut his lips tightly together and plunged down the street. He knew being a museum night guard was way cooler than being a superhero, a cop, a magician, or any of the many monsters that crawled around the city streets this Halloween night. His Dad's job was the coolest job in the whole world, - but yet he couldn't tell the other kids why.

Heat rose into his cheeks; tears welled in his eyes. It was great having his friends along, and though he missed his Dad, he understood why he couldn't take the night off from his job. As cool as it was, being the night guard meant having to be there every night, in case something happened to endanger the living statues. He got that, and he was having a blast trick or treating with Jed and Octavius - until he'd heard the other kids laughing at him.

He wanted to tell them that a museum night guard was the coolest. He wanted to show them that he wasn't crazy and prove to them that he not only had the coolest Dad but the best friends too, but he knew he couldn't. Like his Dad, he had to protect their friends, too, even if, supposedly, they'd come trick or treating to keep a watch over him instead. "Hey, guys," Nicky asked softly, peering down into the pumpkin's inky depths, "I hate to ask, you could you kind of pipe it down a little bit? People are starting to look."

"They should look!" Octavius declared. He longed for the sword he normally kept at his side. He would have thrust it into the air had he still worn it, but as it was, he tossed his hat into the air instead. "They should see the bravest warriors they will ever witness! They should look upon you in envy, young Gigantor, for you have seen things and bested monsters of wish they can only fantasize!"

The white hat he'd tossed spiraled through the pumpkin and started to come down on top of the candy bar. Jed caught it before it could land, glared at him, and plopped it back onto his head. "Keep it on," he whispered between teeth clenched with anger. His blue eyes flashed. "Don't ya dare get my hat dirty, or take it off again! It completes th' outfit! Without this hat, I'm just some wanderin' pard!"

Nicky laughed. Jed heard the uproarious laughter of a crowd of trick or treaters passing another house. The other kids on this street had not yet noticed Nicky, but Jed mistakenly thought they were laughing at his young friend too. "I oughta shut 'em all up fer ya!" Jed snarled.

"But you can't do that," Nicky told him. "Just settle down in there. We'll be done in a few hours, and then we'll have all the Milky Ways and other candies we can eat, 'k?"

Jed nodded. "Sure," he muttered, his hands still clenched and the toga he wore swaying irritably around his otherwise bare knees.

"And keep the hat on, Octie," Nicky added. "Jed's right. It looks good on you, and besides, you can't be a cowboy without a hat."

"This is hardly an appropriate hat," Octavius grumbled as Nicholas looked away and hurried on to the next house.

Jed glared at Octavius, his hands going to his hips. "Sure beats th' Hell out o' this dang skirt o' yers."

Octavius smiled as it again sashayed around Jed's knees as their ride bustled with young Nicholas' racing steps. "I find it to be quite fetching on you."

"Ya would." Jed's blue eyes glowered at Octavius' smiling face.

"It is this dreaded hat of yours that I can not stand," Octavius complained as the hat slipped again on his head. He pushed it back up out of his dark eyes. "It never stays where I put it, and it is a disgrace - "

"Yer th' one disgracin' my hat!" Jed shot back. "It's a dang good hat! Th' best I ever seen!"

Octavius quirked a slender eyebrow. "You say that as though you think yourself an expert. With this manner of clothing, I scarcely believe any one from your time could be considered fashionable."

"I'll have ya know that's a dang good look, an' it makes ya look almost as hot as I do in it!"

Octavius paused. A slow smile curved his lips, and his eyes twinkled as he gazed back at his love. "You find me hot in your outfit? That is a new word in this day to describe sexy and sensual, is it not?"

Jed blushed. "Yeah, well," he looked away and stomped over a peanut butter cup that slid too close to his sandaled feet for comfort. His blue eyes cut back at his love though his arms remained now folded on his muscular chest. "Ya know yer sexy," he muttered.

"Ah," Octavius crooned, coming closer to Jedediah and cupping his handsome face in his caring hands, "but I never tire of hearing the words spoken by the sweet lips of the man I love." His thumbs rubbed gentle, seductive circles into Jedediah's cheeks until the blonde finally looked back at him, his irritation and anger beginning to drain away by his sweetheart's embrace. Octavius' smile grew; his eyes sparkled up into Jedediah's. "And you make quite the fetching Roman General, my beloved. Though I still detest this hat of yours, I believe swapping outfits for this Halloween venture may well be one of your best plans yet."

A grin finally broke over Jedediah's face. His nose wriggled; his eyes sparkled with mischief. "Ya should see what I got planned for th' rest o' th' night once we get th' kid home," he drawled.

Octavius' fingertips swept across his curved lips, sending a million thrills shooting through both of them. "I can scarcely wait," he answered and then shivered from head to foot as Jed's tongue flicked out of his mouth and licked the chocolate from his tanned fingers.

A few pieces of candy had already been pouring into their bucket while Jedediah and Octavius had been discussing their outfits, but it was just as they moved to kiss that an especially large sucker fell into the bucket. It bumped them as it landed, and Octavius' sandals slid right out from underneath the feet that wore them. Jedediah went down swiftly, and his legs knocked Octavius' legs out from underneath him as well.

The Roman cowboy landed on top of his love, and Jed's arms wrapped around him. "We might as well stay here," he drawled, his blue eyes twinkling, "fer th' rest o' th' ride. It's gonna be bumpy."

Octavius smiled down at him. "I find that, with you, my love, I like bumpy." He kissed him.

A world of passionate pleasure engulfed Jedediah, but he could still feel the swinging of the bucket as Nicky ran to the next house. He hesitantly pulled away from Octavius' lips. "Think th' kid can see us?"

"Only should he take the time to venture a gaze, but should we leave him to his own devices, I believe we shall be safe from his questing gaze for some time yet to come. He does not enjoy the condescentation from his peers who do not understand that we are in his trick or treat bucket."

"Hmm." Jed traced his love's handsome face with his bare and trembling fingers. He wanted to kiss him again, but there was just too much of a chance that Nicky might oversee them. "Still don't want th' kid seein' somethin' he shouldn't an' Gigantor comin' after us."

"Very well." Octavius pulled Jedediah's rope from his belt and fashioned it into a lasso as Jed had taught him. Then, acting both swiftly and carefully, he pulled a nest of candy bars, chocolate kisses, and bubble gum around them. "There," he said as the last piece fell into place above their heads. "He shall not see us until we are ready to be seen."

Jed looked doubtfully around them. "Sure we're safe?" he asked. "What if they fall?"

"I shall move us out of the way in time to avoid any possible danger," Octavius vowed. "Besides," his fingers traced Jed's quivering, upturned mouth, "all I ask is for one more kiss."

Jed grinned broadly and wrapped his loving arms around his life partner. "It's never just one more kiss wit' us," he drawled against his lips before pulling him the rest of the way down to his waiting mouth. He kissed him passionately then, his tongue thrusting deep into his sweet and hot mouth. He thrust up against him, and the skirt he wore moved.

Jed's blue eyes widened with surprise while Octavius' simply twinkled merrily. He lifted his head up from Jed's to announce, "I do believe I was correct." He removed Jedediah's gloves from his hands and ran his hand up Jed's bared calf. "This is indeed the best scheme you have ever concocted, my love."

Jed's breath caught as Octavius' searching fingers trailed higher and found his sword rising in wait. He trembled in his hands, and his chest heaved with raking breaths of barely contained desire as Octavius wrapped his hand firmly around his hard staff. His grin filled the darkness of their hiding place. "I told ya it was a good idea. Still can't believe ya never celebrated Halloween before!"

"You were right, my love. This is one of the best holidays ever created!" He kissed him again. "Happy . . . " he paused to kiss him again, long and deep, with his tongue trailing seductively against his white teeth. " . . . Halloween!"

"Happy . . . " Jedediah's words were punctuated by his heavy breathing as Octavius continued to stroke his throbbing manhood. " . . . Halloweeeeeeeee - " Octavius quickly covered Jedediah's heated lips with his own again as he continued squeezing him. Their tongues plunged deeply into each other's loving mouths as Octavius swallowed Jedediah's scream and took every ounce of pleasure he had to share.

Jedediah had barely gone limp inside the haven of his beloved Octavius' loving arms when he rolled him over onto his back. Octie looked up at him through widened eyes, but Jed only grinned as he announced, "My turn," and started to ride him.

They were just beginning to float back down to earth a second time when Nicky called to them. "Hey, guys, we're almost back home!" Their eyes shot round and wild as they heard the boy's call and felt the pumpkin shift. They grabbed at their clothes and dressed even more hurriedly when they heard Gigantor's voice.

"Nicky, how'd it go?"

"Oh, Dad, did I ever get a heap of candy!"

"You did make a good haul," Larry observed. "I'm just sorry you had to miss out on the Halloween party. I got Rexie to give rides, and everybody had a blast!" He heard laughter and Rexie's roar and grinned. "Sounds like Rexie hasn't tired out too much yet. Hurry on in. I'll keep your candy and give it back to you after you've had your ride."

"COOL!" Nicky hollered. He gave his candy-filled pumpkin up to his father and raced for the door. He paused just before he could go in, "But don't eat all my candy!"

Larry laughed. "I won't," he called back, but his son was already gone and hurrying on to his next Halloween adventure. Larry peered down into the jack o'lantern's depths. The night light he'd fashioned inside of it gave plenty of light to illuminate the candy, but he still couldn't see his son's protectors. "Jed? Octavius? Where are you, guys?"

"Here, Larry! We're here!" Octavius called, stepping into the light and drawing Jedediah out from underneath a heap of tootsie rolls.

"Right here, boss," Jed added. He pressed his hand against Octavius' helmet which he again wore and gave Larry a salute.

Larry forced down the laughter that bubbled inside of his throat. His own dark eyes twinkled mischievously. "Jed?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you have on your gloves? I thought Octavius was going to wear them tonight."

"I, huh, - " Jed looked down at his gloved hands in surprise, heat starting to crawl up from beneath Octavius' golden armor to stretch up his neck.

Octavius was as quick to come to his love's rescue as ever. "He had chocolate covering his hands. We thought it would be a good way to keep from getting everything sticky."

Larry laughed. "Yeah, right, guys," he said. He put his hand down into the pumpkin, and his friends cautiously stepped onto it. He lifted them up to his face and observed them with a father's wary eye. "Just tell me one thing," he commanded.

Jed forced down the gulp rising in his throat. "What?" he asked, almost breathless.

"Did Nicky see anything he shouldn't have seen tonight?"

Both tiny men quickly shook their heads. "Not a thing!" Octavius vowed, once more longing to be able to rise his sword valiantly into the air. "We made certain of it!"

Larry nodded. "Good." He set them onto the floor of the museum. "Now go enjoy the rest of your Halloween."

He waited while they raced away from him. He noticed the way their hands caught to each other's before they were completely out of his sight and saw Jedediah's deep, red blush. Larry waited, barely able to contain his laughter, until they had hopped into their red car and driven away before finally allowing himself to laugh. He tossed his head back and roared with laughter from the twin expressions on their faces when they'd realized that their deeds had not gone unnoticed. "Next time, boys," he muttered though they could no longer hear him, "make sure you keep the costumes right."

Larry stuck his hand back in the pumpkin, grabbed a chocolate coin, unwrapped it, and tossed it into his mouth. He started chewing it before heading after Nicky, Rexie, and the others. He might have doubted leaving his son alone with any one else, but he knew that, even if they couldn't keep their hands off of each other, Octavius and Jedediah would always protect Nicky and let no harm come to him, neither through physical means nor by getting an education for which he was not yet ready. He entered the next room between the young Prince and Teddy and suddenly found Rexie's tail thrust between his legs.

"Come on, Dad!" Nicky hollered from Rexie's head, and Larry grabbed the skeletal dinosaur's tail before he could hit him.

Rexie roared happily as he swung both Larry and Nicky, and Larry's smile was made even larger by the sight of his son beaming happily down at him. He clung on for dear life as Rexie began to dash through the museum with them. "Hey, Nicky?" he called once he'd managed to right himself onto the arch in Rexie's tail.

"Yeah, Dad?"

It was Larry's turn to beam. "Happy Halloween!"

Nicky shouted out for all the museum and its many, varied occupants to hear, "HAPPY HALLOWEEN!"

"The best," Octavius breathed in agreement from his hiding place shared with his beloved Jedediah behind a curtain in their diorama.

"Ya got that right, too!" Jed exclaimed, beaming, and brought Octavius' handsome face down, his hands cupped around him, for another kiss and another and another for all the rest of the night!

**The End**


End file.
